


Split Second

by Raygirl



Category: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-25
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-10 00:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1152391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raygirl/pseuds/Raygirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a mission goes awry Jeego finds himself stuck tending to an injured Tengo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A bullet whistled through the air and hit a nearby lamp post with a jarring, reverberating clang. Jeego forced himself to run faster, if that were possible, his lanky legs stretched to their limit as he dodged down the tight winding backstreets. His elegant shoes trampled scraps of paper and shallow puddles throwing up water that stained his dark blue suit trousers. Through the pounding of blood and adrenaline in his ears he could hear angry voices and swearing a few corners back. Their pursuer was clearly a good shot, and he was too close for comfort. Just a little further then it would be a clear run to the car. They just had to keep out of the line of fire.

A few strides behind him his rival and coworker Tengo, equally lanky and well dressed, kept pace with his rifle slung over his shoulder secured with a harness. The weapon was unused; their cover had been blown by their targets goons, and the two hitmen had been forced to retreat at high speed as their target's pet gunslinger gave chase. Too close for the elegant sniper rifle and too far away for Jeegos own gun; a sawed-off shotgun painted gold for reasons Jeego chose not to divulge to anyone. All in all, a resounding failure of an evening.

Despite the dire situation the two blue skinned runners were still able to exchange (albeit strained) conversation about their current predicament.  
"You were SUPPOSED to have a BACKUP PLAN, ASSHOLE."  
"Oh naturally you blame me when things like this happen."  
"Only when we find ourselves running like stink away from a screwed mission Mr 'I-Want-To-Plan-For-Every-Damn-Scenario'"  
"Seems to me 'running like stink' is efficient for this circumstance."  
"Yeah that was supposed to be AFTER we killed the bastard. Why didn't this joker feature in any of yer brilliant plans?!"  
"There must have been a screw up with HQ intel. No mention of gun toting psychopaths-"  
"Well he's here now and he ain't happy so if you feel like coming up with any more plans ahead of us getting turned into Swiss cheese I'D LOVE TO HEAR 'EM"

As they rounded another corner Jeego fled past a pile of rubbish bags and boxes teetering precariously on a dumpster. As Tengo passed the same point he whipped the rifle from his shoulder and jabbed the pile sharply before carrying on causing it to topple and spew its contents all over the alley. The result produced a small barricade for their pursuer.  
"I'm working on it as I go." Tengo continued as he raced to catch up to Jeego, while behind them there was a crash and more loud expletives.

Jeego was about to reply when another gunshot reminded him that perhaps his energies might be better spent running and not berating his rival. Thankfully a few moments later he burst out from the alley into an open street. It was deserted and unobserved, illuminated by yellow street lamps giving the whole area a jaundiced look. He didn't really pay much attention to the world as he sprinted the last few feet to their getaway car; a small, lightweight thing just right for missions but plain looking enough to be confused for a generic city run-about. Looking back as he skidded to a stop by the vehicle he realised Tengo wasn't directly behind him. In fact the other hitman was nowhere to be seen.

Jeego swore and made to turn back, less out of concern for the man who could have been caught or shot, but more because Tengo was the only one who could drive the damn car. They didn't call him 'Nearsighted Jeego' for nothing. 

But as he took a step away from the car Tengo appeared, exiting the alley at top speed and racing round towards him, his unslung rifle clutched to his chest. Jeego made a comment along the lines of 'took ya long enough' which his bespectacled rival ignored as the two slid into the car. Slinging his gun into the back seat Tengo stepped on the gas and they lurched away as their pursuers exited the alleyway. With no apparent vehicle to give chase the dark shapes were left cursing and gesturing as the hitmen bid a hasty retreat into the night.

Neither man said a word to one another until they had put at least two neighbourhoods between them and their ex-targets. The only sounds were the roar of the engine and the occasional squeal of the tires. Vehicle or no Tengo was not taking any chances of their enemies catching up. Buildings and intersections streaked past merging together into an amorphous mass of colour and grime while the pair fought to catch their breath and re-arrange their different thoughts.

When they finally slowed and stopped for a train crossing Jeego sat back in his chair with a frustrated groan. He slipped off his fedora and ran still trembling hands through his dark hair, ruffling it from where it had been plastered to his head by sweat.  
"So do you want to inform HQ, or shall I?" He snarked darkly.  
Tengo said nothing, continuing to stare out at the night ahead of them as the red warning lights reflected in his glasses.  
"I mean, sure, you say it's not OUR fault HQ dropped the ball," Jeego continued, "but you know it's our pay that's going to be slashed because of this. Oh no wait, it'll just be MY pay because apparently you're some kind of wonder kid who can do no wrong in the eyes of the boss."  
Still nothing. Jeego fanned himself with the hat as a slow transporter train rumbled by.

"So enlighten me. It just BAFFLES me why I got sent along on this damn mission to begin with since you are CLEARLY so damn organised and so damn PERFECT you wouldn't possibly require a fuck up like ME to save your ass. And yet here we both are; running like pussies, on the hit list of our intended target, and bound to get chewwed out by our bosses and a paycut if we're lucky. And the kicker of it is I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE HERE."  
And STILL nothing. By this point Jeego would have expected a smart ass retort, or at least a defiant snort. The mans silence only annoyed Jeego further, raising his voice over the rumble of the train.  
"Hell I distinctly remember you rolling your eyes at the suggestion of me going with you. Mr 'One Step Ahead' works better alone, huh? I would just be another unpredictable element you have to think around, right? I would just be in the way of that amazing brain of yours as it calculates every possible outcome. Except, OH GEE, the one outcome where we FUCK EVERYTHING UP. Hmm! Perhaps dragging my sorry carcass along for the ride wasn't such a shit idea after all! Gods almighty. Can't wait to get home and forget the hours I wasted on this festival of crap. I'd rather not be around next time the great 'One Step Ahead' Tengo drops the ball."

Jeego slumped back in his chair angrily, glaring at the passing train as though his stare would make it hurry up; anything so this awkward situation could move along. To be fair he was more angry over the failed mission and the escape they'd had to pull off. Plus having to explain the story to HQ was going to be a mess of tedious paperwork; it was supposed to be an easy job that only required two people. Nothing the two experienced hitmen couldn't handle had it not been for the monster of muscles that had chased them away. Where'd they find a steroid inhaling meat-shield who could move that quietly anyway? Not that it mattered. He was tired and frustrated and all he wanted to be at home in bed.

Away from HIM.

He had still not said a word. This only made the situation more weird. Normally an argument like this helped blow off steam, get everything out in the open so that they could get on with the next assignment. Tengo would be just as much into it as Jeego despite his sneers and belittling comments. The bickering could almost be seen as smalltalk in a relationship like theirs. So why was he suddenly silent now? Was he really that disheartened by the failure? Sure if anyone in the organisation took his work to heart to n unhealthy degree it was Tengo. All that planning and brainstorming and checking, not just for a pay check but for the prestige that came with it. Tengo wanted to succeed; a concept Jeego didn't care much for. Top runs of the ladder meant more work and bullshit anyway. But Tengo was driven, scarily so.

You could tell it from his body language, even now. He was hunched over the steering wheel, hands clamped to it and eyes fixed dead ahead with a blank expression. A face almost impossible to read, and yet Jeego enjoyed being one of the few people who could crack a grimace out of that mush. To watch the mask slip for a second was worth it, but tonight his regular tactics just weren't working.

Well whatever. You win some you lose some. And this wasn't the first time Tengo had descended into a sullen sulk when things hadn't worked out. Despite his determination and planning skills he could be such a brat sometimes if he did not get his way.

Thankfully the train finally moved on and the barriers went up. The car moved on a little slower than before, and Jeego settled back in his seat to watch the scenery go past. Not that there was much to observe but it saved being able to see Tengo's sullen face out of the corner of his eye.

Jeegos apartment building was the closest stop. A shabby, run down neighbourhood comprised of tightly packed apartment blocks and a labyrinth of dark alleyways; the type of place local governments and law enforcers would label a 'problem district'. Gun crime, shady deals, back alley trading; It suited Jeego just fine. Sure it wasn't the place you'd send a Girl Scout troop but the plus side was everyone tended to keep their noses out of other people's business, for fear of finding 'business' far worse than their own. So despite the general nature of the populace it was actually one of the most secure and secretive districts in the city. Great place to live if you didn't mind the occasional stabbing.

As they pulled up beside Jeego's building there was no sign of dawn on the horizon, and the flickering street lights were still the only defence against the creeping darkness. Reaching for the door handle Jeego slung his shotgun up from the footwell and turned to his rival.  
"Better luck next time. Just consider it a teeny stain on your otherwise FLAWLESS record." he sneered and playfully punched Tengo in the right shoulder.

The reaction was not what he had expected. Tengo flinched, a strained whimper escaping his mouth before his gritted his teeth and hunched further forward over the wheel. There he stayed for a while, wheezing air though his teeth as his shuddering hands gripped the wheel hard enough to whiten his knuckles. 

 

For a moment Jeego could not react, not even moving his hand down from its position beside Tengo's arm. Ok...THAT was unexpected. He had never had a reaction like that from anything he'd ever thrown at his rival. His eyesight may have been bad especially in the gloom of the tiny car, but years of 'dealings' with people who were injured or dying (...usually by his own hands) you picked up a lot about body language. 

Tengo's silhouette screamed pain, forced below the surface and hidden under a fixed expression. His eyes were scrunched shut; his teeth set in a brutal grimace barely visible as the man forced his lips closed around them into a more neutral shape. His breathing, a thing that hitmen were trained to be acutely aware of in targets, was measured but strained. Tengo was trying everything in his power to relax his posture, but pain is a hard thing to cover up even in the strongest men.

In the quiet pause only cut by Tengo's breath Jeego studied his car companion. Identifying the epicentre of the problem Jengo reached out, stretching his arm across the wheel in front of his rival's chest and using it to push Tengo forcefully but carefully to sit upright in his seat. He jolted and swore but didn't put up much of a physical fight.  
"Ah! What the hell are you doing, knock it off-ARGH!'  
It was Jeego's turn to ignore him, his eyes squinting fiercely at Tengo's left shoulder.

Bingo. Even in the stark light of the street lamps and with Tengo trying weakly to squirm away Jeego could see the large dark patch on the man's suit jacket. A dark patch which seemed to be growing larger even now, and staining the jacket a deep purple tone. In the centre was a hole. A bullet hole. The smell of metal and gunfire suddenly stung Jeego's nose as he flinched in disgust. How had he not noticed before? A wound this large, it was a miracle Tengo had managed to keep his hands on the wheel and the car on the road. There was so much blood...

Jeego shook his head and sighed with irritation, sitting back in his seat and retracting his arm allowing Tengo to hunch forward again.  
"Bloody hell, you could have mentioned THAT."  
"Oh like you'd care if I had." Came the sharp retort through gritted teeth.  
Jeego shrugged. Couldn't fault his logic there; one less Tengo in the world meant one less irritation he'd have to deal with on a daily basis. Nevertheless they were sitting outside his apartment and there was no way Tengo could drive himself home. Leaving him to bleed to death in the drivers seat over night would draw some unwanted attention, even in this neighbourhood.  
"Quit yer bitchin. Come on, we're going up to get you sorted. Unless you WANT to bleed out all over the dashboard."

Tengo sat up slightly still looking to argue, but Jeego quickly reached into the back seat and grabbed his rival's precious sniper rifle, hauling it with his own gun as he swung himself out of the car.

If there was one way to really get under Tengo's skin, Jeego pondered to himself as he shut the passenger door, it was to get between him and his precious gun. The thing was like an extra arm to his rival, it actually impressed Jeego to see the various ways he could wield it. Opening doors, picking up food...hell he'd even seem Tengo balancing a book he was reading on it all the while in position to take a shot. Weird.

And much like his flawless reputation Tengo was VERY protective of the rifle. Jeego had learnt that to his cost when, as a 'little prank', he'd scratched a crude drawing into the rifle's barrel with a pocket knife when his rival had left it on a break room table. Sure it was childish but he had been trying to 'break' Tengo for weeks and none of the average teasing or annoying habits had done the trick. This seemed the most intrusive and irritating way to do it. He couldn't really remember what had happened, but Dandy had told him later that it had been quite a sight to see the normally collected and focused hitman suddenly stand up from his chair, take two steps across the room and punch Jeego square in the jaw. All Jeego himself remembered was waking up some time later on his back with a bleeding nose and the knowledge that there was a boundary there which he had overstepped. And that Tengo could throw a vicious right hook when he was angry.

But this knowledge could be used to an advantage. Jeego didn't relish to idea of having to manhandle his rival up to his apartment; carrying his rifle would be the perfect carrot for this particularly stubborn donkey.

He was thankful that despite the quality of his home the building still had an elevator which worked. Tengo seemed to be holding out pretty well considering, if you ignored the way he lent against the elevator wall, breathing heavily and clutching his left arm. He might not have made it up the stairs unaided, but was still able to walk the distance to the apartment without complaint. The trail of blood left behind on the concrete floor was a little unsettling, but not particularly unusual in this building.

Jeego classified his apartment as a place to sleep and drop stuff. It wasn't untidy per-se (the unwashed coffee mug or five, a discarded shirt thrown over the back of a chair...occasionally bloodstained), but it was a stopping off point, not a home. It was kinda cold in many ways lacking decoration or personality, a lonely little box made more stark by flicking on the light switch. Still it had the basics; kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, run down sofa overlooking a squat table which was covered in paperwork and junk mail. 

If Tengo had been unhappy about the idea of going to Jeegos apartment before he was definitely regretting the idea now. Jeego had to hold back a laugh, his rival was BRISTLING with disgust.   
"How'd ya like it?" He asked mockingly.  
"Delightful." Sniffed Tengo, observing the room. "It's cold and disorganised and depressing...just like you."  
"So sorry if the 'feng shui' isn't up to your normal standards, I wasn't expecting to entertain. Sit."  
Tengo eyed the couch as if expecting a raccoon to leap out of it.  
"Goodie, if the bullet doesn't kill me your soft furnishings will finish the job. Gods know how many organisms live in that thing."  
"Well unless you want to be one of the DEAD organisms in this flat shut up, sit down and take off your shirt and jacket while I get some water."  
Tengo raised his eyebrows as his rival wandered off towards the kitchen.  
"Are you so forward with all your dates? No wonder you're single." He muttered, dragging himself towards the sofa. Despite the surroundings it looked more comfortable than trying to stay standing. His head swum as he dropped down into the cushions, irritably kicking aside a couple of books and stray items of clothing to make room before unbuttoning his jacket. His left arm ached, heavy as lead with the consistent throbbing from the bullet hole in his shoulder. As gingerly as he could he shrugged off the jacket, wincing at the effort. His body just felt so unresponsive, the simple task of unbuttoning a shirt made much harder by the dulling effects of pain, blood loss and fatigue. 

Eventually the shirt was off and he crumpled back into the chair knocking his head back and panting for air. He didn't bother to inspect the wound too closely, he didn't need to. It HURT enough for him to gauge how bad it was and there was no way to escape it no matter how he fidgeted. Besides he'd seen plenty of bullet wounds before...though admittedly not from this close.  
'That's gonna leave a scar.' He thought to himself. Despite the pain he felt strangely disconnected from the injury. His left arm barely responded to attempts to move it now, and the wound itself looked more like something you'd see on TV. 

Jeego reappeared carrying a large bowl of water and a cloth in one hand, a bottle of what looked like whisky and a couple of small glasses in the other. He clambered onto the sofa, settling himself on the arm on Tengo's left. Placing the bowl down on the sofa cushions between his feet he held out a glass to Tengo and popped the cork of the bottle with his teeth.  
"Dutch courage." He grunted, "Summin' tells me yer gonna need it for this."  
Tengo took the glass gratefully. A stiff drink sounded great right about now. It could help clear the fog building inside his head.

Drinks duly poured Jeego took a swig as he rung out the cloth in the water and set to cleaning the wound. Tengo flinched violently as the cloth pressed against his blooded skin and swiftly knocked back his own drink. The pain was like a bolt of electricity running through his spine, but the alcohol helped...slightly. It didn't help that Jeego was ham handed in trying to clean the area, and when he rubbed the cloth against a particularly sore patch, Tengo jolted again.  
"ARGH BLOODY FUCKING HELL!" He roared. Jeego said nothing, removing the cloth to rinse it as he casually retrieved the whisky bottle and shook it at his rival.  
"Quit being such a baby. Drink up."  
"Your bedside manner...needs work..." Panted Tengo as he accepted another shot of whisky and downed it. It was getting hard to swallow, a powerful nausea fuelled by pain rose in his chest, and he sucked in lungfuls of air to try and relieve it. Jeego retrieved the cloth, noting how quickly the water in the bowl at his feet had turned dark. 

Now that most of the blood was in the bowl it was clear to see the wound...and it wasn't good. Tengo had clearly been hit from behind, the bullet moving with enough speed to pass through his shoulder leaving a brutal exit wound. Jeego knew enough to know that a wound like that could easily go septic, and Tengo had already lost enough blood. A damp cloth and alcohol wasn't going to fix anything. Then man was trembling and looked like death already. Ringing it through he held out the cloth to his rival.  
"Relax, Dr Jeego is going off duty shortly. We'll get his replacement on the case."

As Tengo reapplied the cloth Jeego lent over and pulled a phone out from the jumbled mess of papers on the table. As he dialled a familiar number Tengo grimaced.  
"You don't mean that quack do you?" He grumbled.   
"The one and only."  
"Gods I think I'm better off with you treating me."

Jeego couldn't really blame Tengo's apprehension. The doctor in question was one well know to and well used by the Sith organisation, the type of medical practitioner who was a little off the straight and narrow. He was the type not to question where wounds came from, to give credible answers even when lying through his teeth, and to keep his mouth shut about all of the above. But Jeego questioned that last part, he didn't trust the guy any more than Tengo did and for the right price he'd probably sing like a canary.

But right now he was their only option.

The phone rung for quite a while before finally being answered by an irritated sounding voice.  
"At this time of night this had better be important."  
"Dooooc, how are you old chum." Drawled Jeego in the most patronising tone he could manage. "It's been simply ages. Killed anyone interesting recently?"  
"Nearsighted Jeego. At 4 in the morning forgive me if I'm not leaping for joy at the sound of your dulcet tones."  
"Awww don't be like that! Have you forgotten all the good times already? Quite frankly I'm amazed and a little hurt by your tooone!"  
Tengo shifted on the couch, letting out a raspy chuckle before wincing. Gods it hurt to laugh.  
"Get to the point." Came the flat response from the receiver.  
"Well if you must be so forward I was hoping you could toddle over to my place for drinks. And while you're here you can patch up my dear friend Tengo who managed to go and get himself shot. Awful business."  
"Terrific, sounds like a party. How bad are we talking."  
"Lets just say he won't be wearing strapless evening gowns anytime soon."  
There was a heavy sigh from the end of the line, and Jeego continued in a more sober tone.  
"He got hit in the back. Bullet went right through his shoulder and out the far side. He's bleeding like crazy. Believe me I wouldn't be calling you except for the fact he's going to stain my upholstery and you know how much of a faff dead bodies are."  
"Don't I know it." There was a pause and another irritated sign before the doctor continued.   
"It'll take me a while to get set up here. I'll need to get transport to you. So give me an hour at least. Can you keep him alive till then?"  
"Depends doc. Never really been in the position of keeping shot people alive, know what I mean?"  
"Point taken. Wrap up the wound as best you can. Keep it covered and apply pressure to the wound to keep the bleeding to a minimum. Make him lie down but don't let him go to sleep. Also get him to drink plenty of water. You got any painkillers?"  
"Does whisky count?"  
Another pause. Jeego knew it was a dumb question but he didn't really stock his place with aspirin. Anything he needed he got on the run.  
"Just....urgh." Grumbled the doctor, "Get him on water and try not to finish the job before I get there."

With that he promptly hung up, and Jeego replaced the receiver with a snort.  
"Charming as always." He muttered. Tengo smirked as he shifted his shoulder experimentally.  
"So what did he suggest in his infinite wisdom?" He asked weakly. Despite the smile Jeego could see his rival was struggling, his already pale skin losing more of its blue hue as the minutes passed. He had to work quickly. Without a word he hauled himself off the sofa again, taking care not to upset the water bowl, and hurried into the bathroom for a first aid kit. While he wasn't one for pills and potions in the life he lead plasters and bandages were important and he kept a stash on hand. Returning to the living room with the box the next few minutes were spent trying to find the best way to cover the gaping bullet holes. A tough job; not only was the wound at the front large and angry, both holes were in a strange position to wrap a bandage around and have it stay in place. 

Eventually they settled on partially taping down Tengo's arm since it was rendered fairly useless for the time being. The hole covered Jeego instructed his patient to lie down, but Tengo refused.  
"If I lie down I'll just wanna sleep." He drawled. Even with the bandages he'd lost a lot of blood already and was staring to become woozy. It was probably best if he stayed upright. As an extra measure Jeego dug out the TV remote and kicked the shabby set into life. A gaudy quiz show appeared, its vivid candy colours presented by a toothy host. Typical brain rotting garbage but a decent distraction.

It was just coming up to 5am, and Jeego was suddenly aware how tired he was as the sugary colours on the television started to merge into a hypnotic haze. He needed coffee. Slumping off the couch he made his way over to the kitchen mumbling something about 'needin' a fix' to Tengo.   
"If you're making coffee get me one would you?" Mumbled Tengo, sounding equally lethargic.  
"Doc says you get water only. He's mad enough that I gave you alcohol."

Tengo snorted irritably but fell silent. That alone was enough to put Jeego on edge. It was clear the fight had been drained from his rival, the snark and witticisms replaced by the basic guttural responses he could muster.

Boiling the kettle took longer than Jeego remembered. Maybe because it was so early and he was tired, time seemed to crawling through syprup. He started fixedly at a crack in the worktop trying to remember if he'd noticed it before. To be honest this apartment could be falling apart at the seams and he wouldn't have noticed; that was how little he felt attached to this place. Though the concept of his bed, with its cheap blankets and creaky mattress, suddenly sounded hugely appealing. He hoped the doc would get here soon and ship Tengo away so he could finally rest.

As the kettle clicked off Jeego was suddenly aware of a presence behind him and turned. Tengo was slouched in the doorway, holding onto the frame to keep upright and blinking in the harsh light from the bare kitchen bulb. The deathly pallor about his cheeks and dark circles under his eyes created a ghoulish visage which made Jeego jump uncharacteristically.   
"Yeesh." Hissed Jeego through his teeth, "You startled the crap outta me. You shouldn't be standing up, muppet. Go sit."  
Tengo waved a limp, dismissive hand as he struggled for a response.  
"Jus-...goin-...bathroom." He droned as he straightened up, still holding the doorframe. It was hard to ignore how badly Tengo's hand were trembling, and even Jeego with his bad eyesight could see them.  
"Uh...sure...jus', yell if you need anything." He muttered focusing his attention back to his mug. Tengo made an affirmative grunt before moving away gracelessly like a ship in a rolling sea.

Jeego was just about to add sugar to his coffee when he heard a loud thud from the hallway. Originally he assumed it was the bathroom door shutting, but it sounded a bit too close. More like something heavy hitting carpet. A sound that in his line of work was unsettlingly familiar. 

A feeling of unease crept across his mind, and grumbling he moved to the kitchen doorway. He hoped it was just Tengo knocking something over, which would at least give him something to berate him about. The flat might be a bit of a dump but it was HIS, and it might help break some of the awkwardness surrounding this whole evening.

But as soon as he stepped out into the corridor and saw Tengo lying in a heap on the floor the need to chastise him for being a clutz swiftly faded.

Jeego was kneeling by his fellow hitman in seconds, grabbing his shoulders to turn him onto his back and lifting him into a seated position. The bandage over his shoulder was badly stained already; his skin palid, a tremble causing his extremities to flinch uncontrollably. He'd looked bad enough slumped in the doorway and now Jeego could feel and see up close how grim the situation was. Time for goofing around was over unless he wanted a dead body on his hands.

Manovering Tengo into one arm Jeego tapped his cheek with his free hand to try and illicit a response.  
"Come on you asshole, rise and shine."

For a moment there was nothing but Tengo's shallow breathing, but as Jeego was considering whether punching him would help or make things worse the pale man's eyelids flickered. Tengo stared straight ahead, not focussing but awake.  
"Murr....nrghnh....whur....ngh"  
"Welcome back." Muttered Jeego, more relieved than he would admit before slinging Tengo's good arm over his shoulder to lift him.   
"The fu-......jus h..ppnd..." Tengo continued, before letting out an agonised hiss at being lifted to his quaking feet. Jeego grunted as Tengo's dead weight lent against him, and his head pounded with fatigue mirroring the thudding of his heart (why the hell was it beating so fast anyway?)  
"Seems like that bullet did a worse number on you than originally thought."


	2. Chapter 2

It took more effort than Jeego had anticipated to haul the injured Tengo across his apartment to the bedroom, his rival being a dead weight most of the way and apparently incapable of putting one foot in front of another. Yet after much dragging and the occasional line of expletives he was able to dump the bandaged hitman on his sparse single bed. The ancient bed springs creaked in protest. Tengo let out a pathetic whimper, which for some reason caused Jeego to flinch, and curled into a tight ball clutching at his shoulder. His breathing was sparse, faint, and the man was clearly trembling all over. But aside from the shaking he lay still, exhausted and sweating.

Jeego's medical knowledge extended as far as the best places to land a bullet at 4 paces but even he knew something was badly wrong. He'd seen injured people before, failed missions and experiments got awry at HQ, but he'd not seen a reaction like this least of all in a character as stoic as Tengo. And he was at a loss of how to deal with it. Had the sight of his workmates limp body apparently at deaths door not distracted him completely he might have wondered why he gave a crap about whether he lived or died, aside from the obvious inconvenience of having a dead body in his apartment. Right now, though, all he could think to do was grab a blanket from the floor and toss it over the quaking Tengo before hurrying back into the living room for the phone.

"Come on you quack bastard pick up..." He muttered darkly as he lent on the bedroom doorframe, one cautious eye fixed on the man lying on the cold mattress. Again he might have been surprised at his relief when the doctor picked up had his mind not been pre-occupied.  
"Now who's badgering me at this hou-"   
"Doc, it's Jeego." He interrupted the sardonic doctors tone sharply, "Tengo's in a bad way. He collapsed and he's sweatin' and moaning like some ghoul. Tell me you're getting your ass over here in the next few minutes."

There was a pause from the end of the line which continued longer than Jeego liked. Finally the doctor gave a thoughtful grumble.  
"Not good. I would have thought he'd be tougher than that."  
"Doc?"  
"It sounds like he's going into shock." The doctor continued,"To be fair it's not uncommon in serious injuries like this but I imagined he would have shown symptoms earlier."  
"What does that MEAN doc?" Jeego snarled, his tone measured but intense.  
"The body is reacting negatively to the injuries, naturally." The matter of fact voice continued. "In a lot of cases when a person is hurt the shock can kill them even if the injury isn't that severe. Would you say he's breathing strangely?"  
"Yeah. Sweating and shaking too. He can barely hold himself up."  
"Fine fine. We will hurry things along here and get to you as soon as we can. In the meantime you need to keep him conscious. If he goes to sleep he could fall into a coma."  
Jeego gave an affirmative grunt as the doctor continued.  
"Try and get him to drink some water. He has to stay hydrated and whiskey isn't going to do the trick. Also elevate his legs. He needs as much blood getting back to his heart and lungs as possible."

Jeego listened to the instructions trying to take it all in. His brain ached from fatigue and petering adrenaline. His abandoned cup of coffee in the kitchen was probably cold right now, and there was a man bleeding out on his bed. It was a lot for him to process and all he wanted to do was get this night over with.

When the doctor rung off promising to bring help Jeego turned his attentions back to Tengo. His rival lay quietly taking the occasional raspy breath, moving little save for the occasional involuntary spasm of his hands.

'Elevate his legs?' Jeego pondered as he walked round the bed. How the hell was he supposed to do that? With a box or something? A chair? What did he have in this dump of a flat which would do the job?

After a few moments of to-ing and fro-ing, pondering and dismissing possibilities he finally settled on a battered old suitcase shoved on top of his wardrobe. It was barely used despite its age. Missions that required staying away from home usually called for a backpack at most. For this purpose though it would probably do the trick. He manoeuvred Tengo as carefully as he could into his back, lifting the man's legs and propping them on the suitcase. Now his feet were higher than his head, which seemed to be the main purpose of this bizarre posing exercise, and Tengo didn't put up much protest to the new position. In fact he'd gone completely silent, and had his pale eyes not been open and watching Jeego might have thought it was too late.

Water. Water was the next stage. 

Hopping through to the kitchen gave Jeego the chance to take a swig of his almost forgotten coffee which thankfully was still warm. The sudden rush of caffeine seemed to soothe his rattled mind for the time being as he hurried back to the bedroom with water tumbler in hand. For a moment he stood beside the bed, uncertain as to what to do next. Tengo was clearly in no shape to take the tumbler himself; his shaking would leave more water on the mattress than down his throat.

Instead he knelt beside the bed reaching out awkwardly to place his hand on the back of Tengo's head. If only he could tilt his head upwards slightly...

Tengo winced, his eyes flashing with consciousness, and he let out a moan.  
"Shaddup." Jeego snorted, bringing the cup to Tengo's lips. "Just drink, idiot."

Surprisingly Tengo did as he was told despite scrunching his eyes in discomfort. He gulped down a fair bit of the water before Jeego straightened the up, content that it would be enough for now.

Tengo's head rested limp in his hand his eyes partially closed and his breathing regular, though faint. Perhaps the elevated leg position was working, Jeego didn't know, but his rival seemed stable for the time being.

Stage three: Keeping him awake. 

"Hey." He mumbled, tweaking the hand supporting Tengo's head slightly. "Don't go t'sleep."  
Those dark eyes flicked to him struggling to focus behind Tengo's thick rimmed glasses.  
"Can....t.....help it......t.....tired." He slurred grumpily.

Not good.

Jeego grunted in irritation as he fidgeting on his knees. The floor was hard and uncarpeted and he wished he'd dragged a chair over to perch on. But now he has Tengo's head in his hand and for some weird reason he didn't want to remove it. It just felt like a bad idea, as though the physical connection was the only way he could keep Tengo's focus on not dying. A stupid though no doubt, based on wooly thinking and crap, but Jeego had to admit his brain did feel pretty wooly caffeine notwithstanding. Instead he manoeuvred himself awkwardly onto one hip so he was sitting on the floor rather than kneeling. It still wasn't comfortable but helped remove the pins and needles collecting in his joints. 

He needed...something. Some topic or discussion to keep Tengo's mind ticking. The deafening silence and emptiness of the room offered no inspiration. No clocks or pictures for distraction. Even the streets outside were unusually quiet for this neighbourhood. Jeego only wished he could hear the sound of the Doc's car getting nearer.  
"So...how about....uh....." He began, but Tengo's faltering voice interrupted him.  
"How....do you th....thinkwe coulda fixed thisssmission..."   
Typical Tengo. Didn't matter how much you pummelled him he still had a one track mind for the mission. Jeego grinned. For some reason hearing his rival talking about a relatively normal subject was a comfort, even with the uncharacteristic slur to his measured tone.  
"I dunno. Mighta wanted to get old mountain man outta the picture." He mused, his mind recalling the race for their life from the giant.  
"No k-kidding....who....who wasss that anywa-...?  
"Not a clue. Some hired jackass. But intelligence is gonna get a golden shotgun butt to the back of the head when I get back to HQ. Make book on it."  
"Could....make problems for ff-...future missions."  
"Yeah well. Cross that bridge when we come to it."  
"Ha-....ha-had we sssseen him sooner...coulda...taken the bast'd. Oneshot."  
"Oh yeah?"  
"Yeah....up...fr'm high...up...."  
"Yeah yeah and in the land of candy gumdrops I could have been a figure skater." Jeego snorted. Tengo cracked a weak smile at this.  
"The fact is we can't live in the past." He continued, leaning forward to rest an arm on the bedside for support. "Human beings...they fuck things up all the time, you know? We screw some pretty big stuff up and we can't fix it. But the world keeps turning so what's the point of mulling it over?"

Tengo turned his head slightly to eye Jeego, his expression puzzled.  
"Learning...from mistakes..."  
"Well, YEAH but...."

Jeego shuffled again for relieve the numbness forming in his legs, but the hand under Tengo's head stayed put. Why was the floor so damn uncomfortable?  
"We can't just wallow in that shit, you know? It ain't healthy. That's yer problem man, yer so caught up on being ahead of stuff. Being one step before anyone else. Top dog, number one. Can't let anyone take the goals yer aiming for. But when you do look back you get so hung up on making mistakes. And then you forget the important part."  
"'Mport'nt part?"  
"The present." Jeego added flatly, reaching into his pocket and fumbling round for a cigarette. Success! Now if only he had a lighter...  
"We all gotta live in this present time." He continued as he stuck the cigarette in his mouth and felt around the few pockets he had. "If you keep pushing forward on and on you don't live for the here and the now. You don't slow up and think, or use that time to remember the bad choices you made. Always moving forward...gotta be first. Before first."

He looked up as his hand continued to pat at his pockets. Dammit, was the lighter back in his jacket in the living room?   
"What are you even runnin' for, man? I mean...BESIDES escaping the giant assholes that chase us. The future ain't going nowhere. You keep chasing those promotions you're gonna run yerself into the ground before you hit forty. What's the rush?"

It was a fairly open question. Did he really care about the answer? He had to admit he was curious why Tengo was so determined and driven. He was good at his job anyway. Even if he relaxed a little, let a few cases go, he'd still be on top of his game. As much as Jeego hated to admit it the man had the edge both in skill and youth.

Tengo gave a soft rasp of breath as he tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. There was a pause. And for a second Jeego wondered if he'd fallen under. Then he mumbled something.  
"Demons."  
"Demons?" Jeego echoed, then then grunted in triumph as he realised there was a lighter on the nightstand beside the bed. Gods bless his untidy self. He lit the slightly battered cigarette as Tengo gave a week nod, and inhaled before responding.  
"We all got our demons, man. Bad memories. People that maybe didn't deserve to die. It's one of them things we have to deal with in our line of work."  
"Not talking 'bout them." Tengo rasped with surprising conviction. "Further back. Waaaaay way back. Old...wounds."

Old wounds. 

Well. Everyone has those Jeego pondered as he balanced the lighter back on the nightstand. A scar here. A chipped tooth there. A bone that never set properly after it met the business end of a chair leg wielded by someone much, much bigger. Echoes of cuss words, fear in thudding footsteps, air knocked from tiny lungs that barely held any to begin with. Mementos of the life left behind, those formative years with their washed out colours and voices which sounded so far away. 

A wave of unsightly memories bubbled to the surface of Jeegos sleep deprived mind; he waved his free hand dismissively to try and clear them along with the cigarette smoke hanging in the air.  
"Oh yeah. That." He grunted, "Well, this is what I'm talkin' about. Those old wounds. Those memories. They only burn you if you let em. Runnin' forward faster doesn't do shit. It only reminds you you got something to run FROM. Like...those people who made you start running to begin with. The...the big guys who thought they could shove you because you were a kid...and no matter how big you got you were never big enough to shove back..."

Another short drag on his cigarette, allowing the smoke to coil from his mouth as he continued with vigour.  
"Fuck them, man. They are way behind you, and if them demons catch up you can take 'em because you're bigger and stronger than you were back then. You need ta....stand strong in the present, look those assholes square in the eye and say 'Well I'm here now. And you bastards are just gonna have to deal with me because I ain't going nowhere.'. You know?"

Silence snuck in following Jeegos last words, filling the room with a void permeated by thought alone. 

This whole conversation was too deep for this early and without booze. Ask him about guns or ammo or how many gunshots it would take to break a bone clean off, and Jeego would be able to answer with graphic detail. Would probably have a few stories to illustrate it. But this? This was all head stuff. Stuff for smart arses to make themselves sound smarter than they actually were. For people who want to make the world more complicated. People like Tengo.

"That sounds like a philosophy you'd come up with." Tengo breathed, his voice soft but strangely steady. Jeego looked over at him. He didn't look any better. His skin was still pallid and gaunt, his lips almost white. But his eyes were warm, staring off into the middle distance thoughtfully. Still thinking and planning. Still considering tomorrow. Still one step ahead.

Jeego sniggered. Well if the tenacious bastard had one thing going for him it was that he could keep himself alive on pure will mixed with spite. Jeego wasn't ashamed to admit he didn't have that stamina, and he laid his arm back on the bed to rest his head on it. For a moment he considered giving Tengo a drag on his cigarette. That's what you did for people who were about to die, right? He thought he'd seen that in a movie once. Or was that for executions? Dammit. Too early too tired. Either way it wasn't a very good cigarette and probably wouldn't do Tengo any favours.

"F...f-for what it is worth..." Tengo muttered, his words interrupting Jeego's meandering thoughts "I w-would hate to be one of your demons."

This struck a cord with Jeego, who raised his head a little to eye the man lying on the bed. Was...that a compliment? From Tengo of all people?   
"Jeez,"he growled, "You really are out of it, ain't ya." Then, after a slight pause, he chuckled.  
"I suppose I could say the same. I mean you piss me off to no end, your anal retentiveness makes me want to punch you and if I weren't feeling so charitable you'd be in a gutter and I would be happily sleeping in this bed right now. But at the end of the day you're damn good at what you do and I'm glad you're on my side. Technically. For the most part. So...for what it's worth...thanks."   
Tengo smiled, the dark circles under his eyes creasing.  
"I ss-should be thanking y-you."  
"Like I said. Better you bleed out here than in that car."  
"No...f.....f-.....for keeping...the demons away."  
"Oh that. Forget it. Whatever pansy demons that follow you don't scare me none. Probably a bunch of stuck up ponces like you."

The hitman gave a soft chuckle, but was cut short as his body suddenly convulsed, breath dragged into his lungs with a strained cry. His arms and legs stiffened, fingers trembling as his eyes shot open to mimic his agape mouth. It was as though a bolt of electricity had been sent up his spine causing his whole body to spasm as if possessed. The man struggled as faint wails and gurgles escaped his throat, his eyes darting about in panic.

Jeego leapt to his feet, the hand which had been resting under Tengo's head suddenly freed. What the hell was happening?   
"Hey! What the fu-!"  
Tengo was completely lost, his eyes rolling in his skull as strangled noises continued from his gaping mouth. His whole body seemed to be out of his control, jerking by an unseen power. The movement tangled the bedclothes, and Jeego noticed that the bandages were coming undone. Fresh, dark stains spread across the sagging cloth onto the mattress 

Perching on the edge of the bed Jeego reached out for the man's good shoulder in an attempt to hold him down. If anything he had to stop Tengo doing even more damage to his body.   
"Tengo! Hey! Come on....hold still!"  
He didn't want to touch that bad shoulder, but it was near impossible to keep a grip with just one side held tight. In desperation Jeego rested his free forearm over Tengo's chest, the other hand firmly forcing his good shoulder back to the mattress. Even in this weakened state it was surreal how strong Tengo was even if he didn't realise it, and it took all of Jeego's strength to hold him. His face leaned in close, wincing as Tengo jerked a knee up to connect with his ribcage. He could see his own haggard reflection in Tengo's enlarged irises, just to add to this whole disturbing mess.  
"Shit!" Jeego snarled as he forced his remaining strength into his arms, "Come on you bastard, don't go nuts on me now!"  
Tengo wheezed, frantic breaths in and out trying desperately to keep his failing body alive. Tears crept from the corners of his wild and darting eyes, rolling down his cheeks leaving trails across his gaunt skin. It was the only time Jeego had ever seen Tengo cry.  
"What did I fucking tell you?!" Jeego continued, gritting his teeth, "The demons will come but what do we tell them? We tell them to fuck off, right? We fight em. You gotta fight dammit!"  
He wasn't sure where the words came from. Despiration? Exhaustion? Maybe even a little fear from the violent nature of Tengo's attack. This was so far out of Jeego's comfort zone. He wasn't made to care for the sick and dying, it was easier to put a bullet in their heads and be done with it. But it didn't seem right for a man who had driven all that way with a bullet in his shoulder. A man who grinned while Jeego attempted in his ham fisted way to bandage him. A man who up until this point had been at deaths door but hadn't just gone silently into the darkness. 

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the attack ended. As quickly and mysteriously as it had started. Jeego found himself laying on top of a completely limp frame, and he hurried to haul himself up and check Tengo over. The man lay with his head lolled to one side, his eyes still darting and wild and mouth open in a ghoulish gape. He was still breathing, horse rasping breaths but breaths nevertheless. He was calm, but it was an unsteady kind of calm like awaiting the aftershocks of an earthquake.

Slowly Jeego unfolded himself and lifted his weight off Tengo's chest. Tense as a cat he paused in the silence waiting to see if there was any more to this fit. When a few seconds passed with only breathing and the pounding of blood in his ears he cautiously lifted his hand towards the stricken victim's face.

"Tengo?" 

His frantic heart almost leapt into his mouth as a thunderous knocking came from the front door. 

If he hadn't already been a shaken mess from what had just transpired the sudden outside noise wouldn't have startled him so, but it took him a couple of seconds longer than normal to identify the sound. It rebounded off the stark walls so used to quiet from their reclusive resident.

Help. Thank the gods it had to be help. 

He had to go and open the door. And yet, for a further second he paused to look back at Tengo, lying awkwardly on the cold mattress his wretched breaths the only sound filling the void the knocks had left. 

He looked terrible, but worse he looked vulnerable. His pale eyes twitched like a frightened deer, his mouth agape emitting faint gurgles after each raspy inhale.

There was that weird twinge in his chest again. Was that pity? 

Quickly turning back to the bed he rested a hand on Tengo's good shoulder and leaned in close to his ear.  
"Tengo. Doc's here. Hang in there, ok? I'll be right back."  
Tengo didn't respond, but Jeego felt better about leaving him as another volley of knocks broke the silence of early morning.

"Coming! Coming! Dammit!" He snapped as he unbolted the door and ripped it open. "It's about fucking time assho-"  
He had expected to be staring down into the wormy face of the doctor, but instead his eyes flicked upwards to a much taller creature towering in the small hallway. He had broad shoulders, thick muscles under an ill fitting blue uniform. The mass filled the doorframe blocking the light from the hallway beyond. Not a face Jeego recognised which caused him to stumble back defensively, until he noticed the blue skin.

The doctors reedy voice piped up from somewhere behind the giant.  
"Go on in Argo, we are expected."

Before Jeego could line up the thought processes to object the being known as 'Argo' stepped over the threshold and into the flat, his head almost scraping the shoddily plastered ceiling. He turned slightly to look down at Jeego, and in the dull light his eyes glinted like black jet. 

Oh great, another of HQ's creepy androids. 

The doctor, finally able to step in behind his assistant's bulk straightened his shirt and cleared his throat.  
"Alright then, where is the patient."

Still staring with great mistrust at the synthetic stranger Jeego waved an arm flippantly towards the bedroom. This was enough of an indicator for Argo to lumber slowly across the flat towards it clearly with his own programming to follow. If the android's footfalls alone didn't wake the whole neighbourhood, or at least knock some crockery off the neighbouring walls Jeego would be surprised. He didn't take his eyes off the giant even as the doctor sidled up beside him.

"Marvellous isn't he?" The doctor chirped, "Been requesting HQ send me an assistant for months and finally they send me Argo. He's a little slow, not as advanced as I would like per-se but he has no issues with heavy lifting. Plus no irritating chatter or bellyaching thanks to his generous donation of his vocal cords."  
Jeego shuddered, a lanky hand massaging his temples as the adrenaline which had powered him for the last few minutes started to run dry. Poor robot bastard. He wondered if he was cognisant of how bad he had it. The health and benefits of the organisation were another reason he preferred to just kill people. At least a dead body couldn't object to having bits removed for 'science'.

The doctor shuffled his strange little walk across the floor to the bedroom following his assistant, leaving the assassin alone with his thoughts.

Finally. He could breathe. With a dry mouth and a thudding head he could inhale the stagnant air around him tainted with the vaguest hint of medical cleaner. He slowly became aware of how much his body ached. His arms and shoulders felt weighed down, and the running from earlier that night was creeping along the muscles of his legs. He just knew he was got to feel like shit in the morning....oh. Wait.

He flopped his weight against the nearby wall as he glanced across the room to the only window. Thought its grime and dust, away across the grubby streets and indistinguishable blocks of buildings he could see the vaguest haze of light. Dawn already. And yet the night had felt like it had gone on for years.

It wasn't just physical exhaustion that plagued him. His mind was slowly being squashed by thoughts and emotions he wasn't used to having. It bugged him, why the hell had he cared so much about Tengo dying beyond the hassle of keeping his upholstery clean? Had this been anyone else, anyone in the organisation, he would not have given half a damn. Hell he should give LESS of a damn about his supposed rival, the smug self assured prick. Him and his stupid talk about demons like he had any clue what it was like to suffer. What real pain was like, what having something to prove despite the odds really meant.

So why had seeing him in his current state got under his skin.

Maybe this would be a good time to attempt to grab a second cup of coffee.

No sooner had he turned towards the kitchen then a yelp caused him to drastically change direction. Squinting across the room, his crappy vision combined with fatigue, he made out the lumbering shape of Argo re-appear; a swaddled bundle in his arms.

"Quite a nasty little injury." Came the doctor's flat, unimpressed voice; as though a bloody gunshot were as exciting as a a bruised knee. "Despite your woeful nurse skills I can credit you with following instructions. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be as useful as Argo here."

Jeego smirked as he crossed the room. The shapeless mass turned out to be Tengo, wrapped tightly in a sheet and sporting a new bandage over his ruined shoulder. Either this doctor was quicker than Jeego had given him credit, or he'd been glaring at the sunrise a lot longer than he thought. In the sharp light of the living room's bare bulb Tengo's pallid skin almost matched the white sheet he was wrapped in, and for a second it caught Jeego off guard.  
"He...ain't dead is he?"  
"Despite your best efforts, no." The doctor replied as he adjusted the contents of his work bag on the coffee table. "Though he will be if we don't get him to the Yonoa. Better equipment there, and it's closer than my place."  
Jeego always wondered the practicality of having a full medical setup on a war submarine, but considering the organisations track record for injuries it was probably sensible.  
"I didn't realise it would be docked."  
"What do you think all my setup was for, making sure Argo brushed his teeth? These things aren't just thrown together. But enough of that. We're out of here, your decor offends me."

Jeego rolled his eyes. Everyone hating on his flat, it was starting to annoy him. Groggily he retrieved his blood stained jacket from the chair he'd dumped it on.  
"Off somewhere?" The doctor enquired as Agro headed for the door.  
"I'm coming with."  
"Why?"

This question seemed to fox Jeego for a moment as he stopped in the middle of shouldering the jacket. He blinked a couple of times before straightening up to rub his temples. Why WAS he going with them? His job here was done. He just had to guard Tengo and keep him alive till the doctor appeared. They would leave and he could finally go to bed and get some sleep. Well...after he'd changed the blood stained sheets...

"Report. For HQ." He grunted turning to glare at the doctor. "As you can probably tell our little mission didn't go down so well and HQ will wanna know all about why. I don't want that bastard waking up and only giving them his side of things."

He grinned smugly,  
"I don't want to miss this golden opportunity to be One Step Ahead for a change."  
The doctor stared at Jeego for a few seconds before shrugging and turning to leave.  
"Suit yourself, but you're riding in the back."

Of all the things Jeego wanted to do right this moment speaking to HQ was bottom of his list. He has a rotten headache, his whole body hurt, and he could distinctly smell the scent of blood lingering on his suit. But he needed some reason to follow them; some reason that wasn't loaded with a bunch more questions. Because even lower on the list than taking to HQ was answering questions as to why he wanted to make sure Tengo was ok; mainly because he wasn't sure he had the answers. His brain was such mush he seemed to be running on instinct. That fact alone worried him.

Soon they were on the road. The doctor has supplied a van kitted out as a makeshift ambulance. A gurney set up in the back was set up with drips and monitoring equipment which Jeego was under strict instruction not to touch. Tengo was taped down to the bed with straps having been put under by some concoction of the doctors. Although the sight of his rival so quiet was unsettling Jeego was satisfied in the knowledge that he wasn't going to have another attack any time soon.

Squashed into the limited space beside the gurney Jeego leant his elbows on the bedside and rested his head in his hands. The fresh morning air had helped clear his brain, but the tiredness remained. He found himself staring blearily at Tengo's sleeping face. The man's features swimming across his blue skin, dark circles blending into shadows and lines. His lips were pale, rivulets of dried tears marked his face.

Jeego realised he was probably privy to something very unusual. In all the years he'd known Tengo he'd never seen him so broken. It should have made him feel good knowing his rival was capable of weakness, so why did he feel so cheated? Why did he keep getting this weird pain in his heart at the memory of Tengo's wild, terrified eyes focusing on him in that dingy apartment?

Carefully, trying to counter the erratic motion of the van on the road, he reached out a hand and pressed his index finger to the spot between Tengo's eyebrows. No response; not even the faintest twitch.  
"Hey." He muttered, sleepily aware that the man was probably in cloud cuckoo land and completely unable to hear him, "Don't you die on me now, brat. In know the doc is a quack and our healthcare isn't exactly stellar when it doesn't involve shoving circuits up some guys arse, but don't you give up now. It's almost over. We're almost...clear."

'We'? Why was it 'we'?

Fuck it. He was too tired to care anymore.  
"We beat those demons back for another day. Right? We told death to get lost, and believe me he's not a guy who likes letting go of what's his. And when this is all over you and me, we're getting some drinks to toast those 'demons' who made us what we are. Because they made us tough. An' maybe they didn't realise it but they made us fighters. And we should thank 'em, because without 'em you wouldn't be here."

He sniggered, his finger still pressed to Tengo's forehead as though making some connection.   
"The funniest thing is...you said you'd hate to be one of my demons but...if you think about it, I'm kinda one of yours. I wasn't about to let that bastard death get his hands on you before I had a chance to beat you at your own game. So while you're still kickin' yer stuck with me. Oh can't be all 'One Step Ahead' without me chasin' right behind you. You got that? Gonna be giving you grief about this for a good long time. You know that right?"

Tengo, of course, did not answer. With a huff Jeego allowed his hand to flop back to the bedside, his eyelids drooping as he rested his head on his arms. It wasn't his own bed, but it felt good. He could relax here for now.  
"So. You best get better fast." He added with a yawn as his conscious thoughts faded into peaceful darkness. "or I'm gonna overtake you. And if you make it too easy, well, that's no fun."

The van continued it's steady route towards the ocean as the rising sun painted the grey streets in an orange haze. For now the city was still quiet. Tucked up and unaware of the stalking demons and the men who ran from them in the dead of night.


End file.
